Winning for Losing
by FlowerPot21
Summary: Wining and dining Warrick Brown style...(WC post-Big Middle; a series of vignettes featuring our favorite couple going out for a night on the town. Enjoy).
1. Playing the Odds

Winning for Losing

1. Playing the Odds

She was just being facetious. She didn't know if he knew that when he proposed a dinner if she won their little bet on college basketball to help her better understand the point of what their victim might have been killed over.

****

"What do I get if I win?" She asked.

"How about a fabulous dinner?" He asked.

Catherine knew that she had a look of surprise on her face when Warrick proposed dinner and she, in her own subtle way, accepted. Their eyes said that it would be more than just a casual dinner together as coworkers. Whomever said that the eyes were windows to the soul, they had never been more right than now. She saw the confidence in his green eyes and from that she knew that he knew that she was going to say yes to any opportunity with him alone.

__

Supervisor or no, I'm playing the odds, Warrick thought to himself. _Life is short, she's available, and she's my soul mate. I'm not letting her get away again._

Catherine felt the blush creeping up her cheeks as she looked at Warrick. Her heart was beating fast and she felt the flush of flattery and something else that she didn't want to quite mention yet.

She could tell by the look in his eyes that he was intent on taking her out to dinner, and that he didn't care about whether she was his supervisor or not?

__

What does he see in me? Catherine wondered to herself. _I'm older, I've got a child, and I'm his supervisor! Wait, who am I? Grissom? This could turn out to be better than I'm thinking it is._

They sat in silence for several minutes, finishing up the Hartford-Charlotte game.

__

Oh, just take a chance, Catherine thought to herself. _I think I love him._


	2. Mango Slice As Nice

Winning for Losing

2. Mango Slice As Nice

She was looking over some case files in the layout room. She was trying to concentrate on what she was looking at, but she simply could. Maybe it was because she was preoccupied with what to wear.

__

A little black dress, Catherine thought to herself. _Mm, no, too corny, and the one that I have is WAY too little._

She pushed her hair out of her face and continued to go through the box of evidence and files.

__

Besides, when does he plan on taking me out to this "fabulous dinner"? Catherine asked herself, a bit peeved. _It's been a week!_

Just then, Warrick walked in.

"If that is more paperwork, then I shall have to kill you and make it look like an accident," Catherine mused, trying to be flirty.

__

Who flirts with that? She asked herself.

Warrick chuckled.

"Then I guess I should haul my ass out of here," he chuckled.

"Mm," Catherine agreed as she rolled her eyes. "Please tell me it's at least important to this case."

"Nah," he said. "It's a complaint from the suspect for police brutality and the mess we left behind."

"Well, just put it in the BS pile over there," she said.

They sat in silence for a few minutes before Catherine threw her pencil down and turned to face Warrick.

He smirked.

"What?"

"When do you plan on taking me out to that dinner I won?" She asked with a smile. "I've been waiting a week."

Warrick looked into her Caribbean blue eyes and smirked again.

"Well, impatient one," he began. "I planned for tonight."

Catherine pushed her radiant hair behind her ear, blushing madly.

"Well, how convenient, Mr. Brown," she sighed. "I have to go shopping now."

Warrick looked her over with interest and quite lustfully if she wasn't mistaken.

"What?" She asked, feeling self-conscious.

He nodded.

"Don't worry about that," he said, turning back to his paper work. "I'll hook you up. I know your color."

Catherine raised her eyebrows and turned back to her work.

"You see how to do that now?" Catherine asked Lindsay as she helped her with her math homework.

"Yes mom," the girl sighed. "I hate math."

"Aw, don't hate it baby," Catherine coaxed. "You'll have to do it for the next ten or so years."

Catherine laughed when Lindsay groaned as the doorbell rang.

Catherine answered it, and a delivery guy was just leaving. She looked down on her doormat and found a dozen roses atop a box. She picked up both items and went inside.

"Who was it mom?" Lindsay asked from the kitchen table.

"Just a delivery guy," Catherine said with a smile.

The box was white with a black velvet bow on it. She put the flowers on the coffee table and opened up the box.

She gasped.

Inside was an elegant mango colored dress.

She pulled it out and inspected it. It was an ankle length dress with a cascade around the shoulders with spaghetti straps. A pretty shawl came with it too and she smiled as she pulled out the little card.

**__**

Mango is definitely your color.

Enjoy the roses, and I'll pick you up at

5.

-Warrick


	3. Doorstep Tango

Winning for Losing

3. Doorstep Tango

Five o'clock on the dot.

He rang her doorbell, unsure of whether he would be able to remain on his feet when he saw her.

The evening dress that the woman at Linus picked was perfect; on the hanger. Warrick could only imagine what it would possibly look like on Catherine. The woman looked gorgeous in anything professional. But tonight, they were on a totally different plane: outside of work, and on their own time.

He'd missed the chance to see her in that little black number she had on for Ecklie's promotion banquet. From the way some of the women around the lab described it, he had dreams about Catherine in that dress for days.

Warrick had never been this nervous about taking a woman out before. Of course, outwardly, it didn't show. He wasn't about to regress back to his awkward teenage years, made more awkward by a young, pubescent, foxy (that was the lingo then), redheaded dance team member bully by the name of then Catherine Bradshaw.

__

It's just dinner, he thought to himself. _Just try and stay completely under control. Depending on how she looks in that dress. What she has on doesn't really matter. She could go grunge and I still wouldn't be able to be around her for more than ten minutes…_

Warrick rang the doorbell again and he heard her muffled voice from within the house.

"Coming!" She said.

__

Great, she's still primping, he thought. _She's taking her time. I thought she might not take this as seriously as I am. She's probably scared of where this might go. This can go places…I mean, not that I'm just doing this to get her to certain places…I'm not that kind of guy…but damn, seven years I've worked with this woman and hoped that we could take what we have beyond friendship. But if this does go places I'll be extremely-_

The door opened up and Warrick sidelined his thoughts when he saw Catherine.

"Hi," she said with a nervous smile.


	4. Cirque du Lindsay

Winning for Losing

4. Cirque du Lindsay

She could hardly contain her excitement, and he was pleasantly surprised and relieved.

When they arrived at the theatre, Catherine gripped Warrick's arm with the biggest smile he'd ever seen on her face when she saw the sign for the show.

"Oh my God!" She exclaimed again. "All these years I've been in Vegas and I've never seen Cirque du Soleil! Please tell me you have tickets to that show!"

"As a matter of fact, I do," Warrick said, presenting her ticket.

She bounced with excitement and linked her hands in his and they both stopped for a moment and looked into each other's eyes. Catherine laced her fingers in his as she smiled and looked up at him with sparkling eyes.

__

This is our first time out together and he's already making me so happy, Catherine thought to herself. _He knows me better than anyone._

"We better head inside," Warrick suggested. "The show's going to start any minute."

They entered the large theatre and took their seats. They had great seats and they could see everything clearly.

Catherine hooked her arm in his and she settled in close to him for the show.

O-O-O

"That was the most amazing two hours of my life!" Catherine exclaimed. "That was a great show. Thank you Warrick."

"You're welcome," he said.

He ushered her back to the parking lot where they had parked. It was a nice stroll, and it gave them a chance to get a little closer, something Warrick really wanted to do.

"How did you know I wanted to see Cirque du Soliel any how?" Catherine asked with curiosity. "I mean, that's just not something I confess to everyone."

"Word gets around," Warrick simply shrugged, and Catherine cast a doubtful, yet playful glare over in his direction.

When they got to his car, he opened the door for her as he pulled out his cell phone.

"Someone just paged me," he said and she nodded.

"Let me know if it's work," she said.

Warrick was really dialing a number.

"How did she like the show?" The voice immediately asked on the other end.

"Her reaction could've been the perfect opportunity for blackmail pictures," Warrick quipped. "She really enjoyed the show."

"I told you."

Warrick smiled.

"Thanks for the tip Lindsay," Warrick said gratefully.


	5. Need a Lift?

Winning for Losing

5. Need a Lift?

Neither of them had really ever taken the time to admire the city of Las Vegas at night.

Perhaps it was because they were always in its bowels searching for criminals and finding dead bodies all the time.

But tonight, it seemed polished, refined, and beautiful in the middle of the desert.

They had both grown up in Vegas, but never really appreciated the view.

Catherine sighed and raised her wine glass.

"I've never toasted at ten-thousand feet before," she quipped.

"Neither have I," Warrick said.

They touched glasses and sipped from them.

"This was not what I expected," Catherine confessed. "I mean, I was looking forward to our night out, but I was expecting the same old, same old, you know? I really do appreciate all that you've done tonight."

"I wanted this night to be special," he said. "Something memorable."

"Well, I will remember this for a long time coming," she said with a dazzling smile.

They were aboard a small commuter plane but it was converted into a dining space for them for a few hours courtesy of Warrick's connection to the jet's owner.

For a fair price, the owner allowed Warrick to make use of it; that is, when Warrick produced a stunning picture of Catherine.

__

She's beautiful, Warrick thought to himself. _Everything about her is perfect. God, I love her_.

Catherine got up and sat close to him and rested her head on his shoulder. Warrick wrapped his arms around her and they both watched the Vegas skyline.


End file.
